Graphic organizer: The well-ordered family
This activity provides a way for students to further their comprehension as they read an excerpt from a book by an eighteenth-century Puritan minister about children's duties toward their parents. Students will complete a graphic organizer and answer questions about the reading passage.
A lesson plan for grade 8 Social Studies
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Related pages
- Benjamin Wadsworth on the duties of children to their parents : Excerpt from a book by an eighteenth-century Puritan minister about expectations for children's behavior and respect for their parents. Includes historical commentary.
- Families in colonial North Carolina: In colonial families, the father had absolute authority over his family, and wives and children were expected to do as they were told. And everyone, even young children, worked to sustain the family.
- Understanding work in colonial Carolina: This lesson plan explores two forms of labor in colonial Carolina — indentured servitude and apprenticeships. Students learn about these forms of labor by reading and analyzing primary and secondary sources.
Related topics
- Learn more about Benjamin Wadsworth, children, colonial, families, history, religion, and social studies.
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Have students read the excerpt “Benjamin Wadsworth on the Duties of Children to Their Parents.” As they read, ask the students to think about what Reverend Wadsworth was explaining to children. Have students fill in the graphic organizer as they read, responding to the questions listed: What is his definition of each of the duties listed? How should children exhibit these characteristics? What is his explanation for why they should always do these things? Tell students not to include the scriptural notations, but do think about how he uses them to further his views.
After students have finished reading the article and filling in the graphic organizer, have them respond to the questions below it.
Benjamin Wadsworth graphic organizer
| Love | Fear | Reverence and honour | Be corrected by… | Obedient | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What does this mean? | |||||
| How should children show this? | |||||
| Why should children do this? |
Questions
- What does this tell you about the importance of religion in colonial America?
- What does this tell you about family life in colonial America?
North Carolina curriculum alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will analyze important geographic, political, economic, and social aspects of life in the region prior to the Revolutionary Period.
- Objective 1.07: Describe the roles and contributions of diverse groups, such as American Indians, African Americans, European immigrants, landed gentry, tradesmen, and small farmers to everyday life in colonial North Carolina, and compare them to the other colonies.
- North Carolina Essential Standards
- Social Studies (2010)
Grade 8
- 8.C.1 Understand how different cultures influenced North Carolina and the United States. 8.C.1.1 Explain how exploration and colonization influenced Africa, Europe and the Americas (e.g. Columbian exchange, slavery and the decline of the American Indian populations)....
- 8.H.1 Apply historical thinking to understand the creation and development of North Carolina and the United States. 8.H.1.1 Construct charts, graphs, and historical narratives to explain particular events or issues. 8.H.1.2 Summarize the literal meaning of...
- Social Studies (2010)
